Asymmetrical
by Of Healing Love
Summary: If keeping him sane means becoming a killer, she'll do it. After all, she's already responsible for the deaths of three parents over two lifespans, so what's the difference between manslaughter and homicide at this point? Kaneki Aiko is not from this world, and armed with the knowledge of an alternate universe, she'll do whatever it takes to keep her brother safe. SI/OC.
1. A Life

She lives quietly  
With no attachments, like a foetus in a bottle,  
The obsolete house, the sea, flattened to a picture  
She has one too many dimensions to enter.

\- from "A Life" by Sylvia Plath

Prologue

I was born on June 18th, 1993.

I died on December 26th, 2013.

I was born again on October 12th, 1995.

Very few people can claim to have been born again after they died—in fact, I may be the only one. Unfortunately, though, I was born into a different world than the one I initially lived in; even more unfortunately, this world was a hundred times more dangerous than the one I died in.

The memories of my old life were new and raw when I had my first thought in what I had supposed was the afterlife. Now, though, at age 16, those memories are little more than snippets of recollection and dreamscapes in which I rarely run off to. However, when I was still a fetus, when my body ached and my heartbeats were frail, when I had no idea what was going on except that _I was hungry_ and _it hurts so much_ , the memories were what I clung to. Of course, I didn't realize I was a fetus at the time, and I didn't even realize that what I was feeling, what was causing me so much pain, was _hunger_.

I clung to memories of snowy days drinking hot chocolate out on the porch with my two best friends. I hung tightly onto visions of sitting with them in my bedroom, watching our favorite TV shows and anime and debating plotlines and characters and plot holes. I desperately quoted stories by great writers like Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Hemingway, distracted myself with verses by my favorite poets: Sylvia Plath, Edgar Allen Poe, and Robert Frost. I focused on anything but the pain.

I was born so weak that I barely coughed out a breath. I panicked when I opened my eyes and could see something other than darkness—I was so sure that I had died. And when I felt hands gently pick me up, I was terrified enough that I let out a shrill cry. I think, in retrospect, it must have relieved the doctor and nurses who had delivered me.

Many details of those early days of my life have been filled in by my father. My mother did not survive the birthing process, and I found out that she had been greatly weakened by my presence in her— but not because of the pregnancy itself. Because of _me_. Because of what she had to do to ensure that the product of her deep love for another species survived, even if she did not.

And the only reason that I survived was because my mother had become a cannibal to make sure her baby was strong enough to live.

She loved me, and my father, _that much_.

While I never knew either of my mothers—my birth was the cause of my mothers' deaths in both lives, albeit for very different reasons—I knew that both of them loved me very, very much. Though I hate to admit it, I am forced to believe that no matter how much my first mother loved me, my second mother loved me more. The lengths to which she had gone to ensure that I lived were incredible, and they had eventually driven her half-mad. The human body is designed for the procreation of the species and against its death, and one of those instincts is that a human who eats their own kind will be made sick by it, sick in many different ways.

But my second mother—Kagura—was willing to make that sacrifice. I don't think that she meant to die in the process, but she was okay with that outcome if it meant I was going to survive.

It shouldn't be surprising that my name is Aiko—translated into English, it means 'love child.'

I found out from my father inadvertently that the doctor who had delivered me was a middle-aged man named Kanou-sensei, and that should have been my first clue as to what was going on other than that I had been reincarnated with my memories intact. However, my understanding of Japanese at that point was vague and when I heard 'sensei,' I was confused that a teacher would be delivering a baby.

I now know that 'sensei' can also refer to doctors, but by the time I learned that, I already knew that I was living in the world of Tokyo Ghoul, although how that had happened I didn't know.

As is probably obvious by now, my father was a ghoul, and I say 'was' because he, too, is dead, at the hands of CCG's investigators. It was thanks to Kanou-sensei that I was transferred into a foster home and later adopted, a scarce few months before my adopted mother died of overworking herself.

The first clue I got was when my vision cleared up enough that I noticed that the 'milk' I was being bottle-fed by my father was actually red. However, I thought that maybe I was colorblind and therefore was not seeing things correctly. My taste buds were not developed enough to really discern a flavor and so I merely shrugged it off as odd, but not necessarily alarming.

I did know that when my teeth came in and I started to eat solid food that I always ate meat. It was strange to me, as I was not so unfamiliar with child-rearing that it made sense to make purees out of meat. But that's what I ate, and I was too young to otherwise protest. Not that I would have—as long as I wasn't left hungry, I didn't really care. I was too busy trying to learn the language and trying to understand what was going on around me, as things were starting to not make as much sense.

By the time I was five—and had learned about Kanou-sensei—I was starting to make observations that were truly frightening. My father fed me raw meat and I enjoyed it immensely, although I still hadn't connected the dots that it was _human flesh_ and not just steak or chicken. My father never let me eat anything else, though, even when I asked for favorite foods from my old life—hot chocolate, for example. Instead, my father gave me coffee. I was stunned. Coffee? For a five-year-old? He was intelligent enough to make it decaffeinated, but nonetheless, I could recognize the flavor and was appalled by his decision-making capabilities as a parent.

Another thing that severely stumped me as a child before I connected the necessary dots was that my father and I rarely ever left the house. We stayed cooped up all day, my father teaching me things like reading and writing. It was only to the best of his ability, which wasn't much, but I relished it all the same. When I turned six, however, and I was not immediately enrolled into a school, I was forced to write it off as a difference in culture between Japan and America—maybe children started school later in their lives? It didn't make much sense, as I had an incurred from the anime I watched in my old life that schooling was incredibly important to the Japanese, but anime was certainly entertainment media and perhaps that was portrayed incorrectly.

Then seven came, and eight. I asked my father, as innocuously as possible—since the topic of school should be unknown to me and was certainly never discussed—where I could go to learn to read and write more extensively.

The word 'school' never so much as made it out of his mouth. He took me to the bookstore, a rare occasion, and bought me a few books that were for young children to learn to read and write with. I was eight and they said they were for ages three to five. I was furious, but looking back, it was the push I needed to make the realization.

I decided I was going to run away. This man obviously didn't know how to take care of me. When I died I had been twenty-two years old and school was very important to me. High school English class had been my favorite subject and I was never one to protest the book reading requirements, and yet in this life, I was still reading the Japanese equivalent of 'See Spot Run.' I was well-spoken for an eight-year-old, but couldn't read or write for the life of me. For years I had excused that as my mind being more inclined towards English, but this was ridiculous. I _wanted_ to go to school. I wanted to be like the other kids, make friends, explore my new world and new life. Instead, I was stuck sitting inside all day, eating meat and watching kid's programs on the television.

That night, I had my first encounter with a ghoul outside my family.

That night, having skipped dinner, I knowingly ate human flesh, if not voluntarily.

That night I almost died at the hands of someone I shouldn't have recognized but certainly did—Mado Kureo. He had the familiar silver box case, pulled out a device that was exactly like the quinques from Tokyo Ghoul, and made a very ardent attempt to kill me.

It is a miracle I am still alive—and it is not so much of a surprise that my father sacrificed his life to save mine.

I knew at that moment, with more clarity than I had ever experienced in either of my lives, that my second parents had loved me so much that it transcended their own survival instinct.

I promised myself, from that day forward, that I would not let their sacrifice be in vain.

I was placed with a ghoul foster family for the next year of my life, but they were nothing to me. They had their own children, and even if they hadn't, no one could ever love me the way that my biological parents had. They taught me how to survive in the human world; faking eating human food, forcing oneself to throw it up afterwards, the dos and don'ts of living as a ghoul who was in a human world. They were careful with me, so careful, and exercised strict guidelines on me. They taught me how to use my kagune offensively as well as defensively and drilled it into me hard, fast, and unforgivingly. The standards they had for their own children were nowhere near as high as they were for me, and while I didn't begrudge them that, I always wondered why.

It had never occurred to me that I was different from the average ghoul—for some reason, the fact that I had a human mother was inconsequential, even though with my knowledge of this universe, it should have been glaringly obvious that I was a legend. It wasn't until the day that I activated my kagune and kakugan in the mirror—I so wanted to see what my kagune looked like to other people—that I saw it.

Only my left eye had a kakugan.

And I realized why I was being taught to fight and defend myself so rigorously—because to a ghoul, my existence was the stuff of legends. I was coveted. I was special.

…I was terrified.

The only other one-eyed ghoul I was aware of in Tokyo Ghoul was Kaneki Ken, but he wasn't born like that. I wondered then where in the timeline I was. Had Kaneki joined Aogiri Tree yet? Or was he still with Anteiku? Or was he still human?

In the end, though, I didn't think it mattered. As the only one-eyed ghoul I knew, I was damned. At least I hadn't been told I smelled any different—if I ever met a gourmet, I didn't think I had to be worried about smelling extra-delicious. It was the one blessed thing about my existence, that I was not appetizing enough to incite cannibalism.

Now, I had to live even more than before, because everything that my second mother had gone through must have been hell—and that was probably just to get through the first trimester. As I grew in her belly, I would have required more and more sustenance to continue staying alive.

The sacrifices she made to get me here were not going to go unappreciated.

After my year with the unnamed ghoul family, the strangest thing happened.

I was adopted by a human family— _why would Kanou-sensei even allow that?_ —and after being given instructions on how to survive without revealing to my new family what I truly was—I moved into a two-bedroom apartment with my new adopted mother and brother.

His name was Kaneki Ken, and I was suddenly a part of the main character of Tokyo Ghoul's immediate family.

He was two years older than me and very sweet, very willing to teach me how to read and write just like he would be with Hinami. I quickly grew to love him, although my adopted mother, not so much. I didn't dislike her, as her self-sacrificing ways resonated well with me after what my parents had done to ensure my survival, but the fact that she would give money to her sister, my aunt, and leave less for her son was infuriating to me. If my parents had put any less effort into keeping me safe, I would not be alive. The fact that this woman did not put her son before everything else did not sit well with me.

I was silent at the funeral after she died, and then Ken and I disappeared off the map.

We moved to the 20th Ward into a one-bedroom apartment. I think that the only way we made it financially was because Kanou-sensei was supplying us with money. Why he didn't remove me and put me with another family remained a mystery to me until I realized that I was safest here—with a nondescript human brother who knew nothing special about ghouls. We drew little attention to ourselves, as I was now allowed to go to school. I had had to be privately tutored during the first few years to catch up—luckily, my knowledge from my previous life ensured that I had never actually been too far behind in much except for the language itself—but otherwise, I fit in seamlessly. I was sent 'care-packages' from Kanou-sensei to stop me from revealing myself as a ghoul, and Ken and I became invisible to anyone who might have wanted to hurt me.

The only thing was that I had to dye my hair so that Kureo Mado would not recognize me. I bleached it white, a nod to my brother's transformation in the original timeline.

I hoped to spare him that, however. I would keep him from Rize, even if it meant I had to kill her myself. It would save him so much pain and suffering, and it would simultaneously keep me safer.

But as it turned out, there would be little I could do to change the events in the beginning of Tokyo Ghoul.

Chapter One

When Ken went off to college, I lost much of my ability to keep him safe, as we no longer attended the same school. We still lived together, of course, and since Kanou-sensei was still secretly sending us money, we could afford a two-bedroom apartment. Nonetheless, I worried about him when we weren't together.

One day, on a day like any other, Ken announced to me that he was going to the coffee shop, Anteiku. I knew that he was safe there, even if it was where he would eventually meet Rize, but I wasn't worried yet. Ken had never mentioned an attractive book-reading young woman around his age, so even though there were news reports about a binge-eater in the 20th Ward, I was certain that she hadn't shown up yet. Ken _surely_ would have told me about his crush.

"Promise you'll stay with Hide at all times!" I told him. "And don't stay out after dark! You know it's dangerous!"

"You're such a nag," he whined, but this was par for the course for us. I acted older than him, mostly because mentally I was, but he took it as his little sister being bossy. He never heard the very real undercurrent of worry in my voice.

"Promise?" I demanded, mock-glaring at him from over my algebra textbook.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I promise, Aiko-chan."

I huffed and nodded. "What time do you think you'll be back?" I asked. The fact that he was halfway out the door didn't faze me. Even though I had been raised in Japanese culture this time around, I still felt very much American, and Americans really don't have the same standard for manners that the Japanese do.

"Eight!" he called back. "Stop worrying so much!"

I frowned and stood up to follow him and possibly nag some more, which he would take good-naturedly as always, but by the time I reached the doorway he was already halfway down the street. Frowning even more deeply, I went back into the kitchen and began to review the most recent chapter assigned to my math class again.

Time passed quickly while I immersed myself in the new developments in the mathematical realm. Math was never my best subject and probably never would be, but I had to be prepared to be accepted into Kamii University. I had to protect Ken, and the best way to do that was to go to the same school as him. Of course, I was a year away from taking the entrance exams, but one could never be too prepared.

When I realized that it was eight-thirty at night and my brother still had not returned, I began to grow worried. I wasn't going to go jumping to conclusions that it was Rize because I was still certain that Ken would have told me about her. However, prudence made me pick up my cellphone and call Hide.

I was fond of Hide, even though he didn't play as much of a part in preventing my brother's loneliness as he had in the anime, simply because Ken wasn't alone as he would have been if I had not been thrust into this world. I was always there, hovering like a mother hen, even if Ken didn't see it for what it was. There was no way he could know who and what I truly was. I was hoping to keep the fact that I was hybrid from him for as long as possible—possibly forever. He didn't need to become involved in the world of ghouls. If the secret came out that a naturally born hybrid existed, that would be a futile effort. I would be hunted.

Which is why I didn't protest when Ken wanted to spend one-on-one time with Hide. If I failed with Rize—and I _wouldn't_ , I promised myself—at least Hide would prevent my brother from accepting his fate for much longer. And I would never let that Jason so much as lay a hand on him or blood would spill in rivers. The thought of Ken being tortured like that…well, it had horrified me in the anime, and now that I knew him, now that he was my beloved brother…Yamori would rue the day he had hunted the artificial hybrid.

But that wasn't going to happen. I would scramble Rize's intestines just so that Ken couldn't have them implanted into him.

"Moshi-moshi," answered Hide after two rings. I sighed in relief.

"Hey, Ken hasn't come home yet. Is he with you?" I asked as politely as possible. When Hide grunted in annoyance, I immediately began to scowl.

"Nah, he met this one chick he's been pining after and asked her out on a date. Dunno when they'll be back, but he texted me a little while ago saying that it was going great."

I froze. "Wh-what did she look like?" I demanded furiously, already knowing the answer.

"Whoa, chill, Jealous-san! She was really hot—kinda had the nerdy thing going on with the glasses, but nice tits and a rockin' bod. She's perfect for Kaneki-kun, she reads all the same stuff he does. Tatsuki Sen or something."

"Takatsuki Sen," I corrected automatically, as Ken had done for me so many times. Then I quickly freaked the fuck out. " _Ah, SHIT!"_

Hide protested, "Don't going ruining his date, you-"

I hung up abruptly.

I was panicking, but I was also furious. _Why_ hadn't Ken told me? Didn't he trust me? It was unfathomable that he wouldn't tell his sister, even if I _was_ a nag and even if I would strongly discourage it. However, the latter was something that he couldn't possibly know, so why wouldn't he tell me?

 _How was I supposed to keep him safe if he kept such important secrets from me?_

Then again, the still slightly rational voice in my head told me that Ken couldn't possibly know how big of a secret this was. Perhaps he was embarrassed to be so head-over-heels for a stranger. That would be very much in-character for him, but nonetheless, I wish he trusted me more.

I knew a fight was coming. I made sure to take a bite of the care-package that Kanou-sensei had sent three days ago, hidden in the depths of the refrigerator—thankfully, Ken never questioned them and I wasn't about to tell him. I wanted to be in perfect form, even if I was a little rusty since I hadn't been able to practice much while supervising Ken and without anywhere safe to release my kagune. Still, my incredible regenerative abilities would give me stamina that Rize couldn't keep up with, and fighting came naturally to me. It was strange, since I hadn't so much as been in a fistfight in my old life—I was actually a born pacifist, but I guess the ghoul in me had taken that characteristic away.

Or perhaps it was from the way I had died.

Pushing the thoughts from my head, I bolted out of the house, barely having the wherewithal to lock the door behind me. Being robbed was the least of my worries and at this point, every second counted.

Vaguely, I recalled the memories from Ken's date with Rize. They went to a bookstore—no, that would be over already. They went to dinner after the sun had set, but the name of the restaurant hadn't been stated in the anime—or if it had, it wasn't coming to mind. After all, for the first nine years of my life, I never really gave credence to the happenings of Tokyo Ghoul because I hadn't thought it would affect me. I cursed myself as I ran.

In the end, I determined that I would find the construction site—there were only a few in the 20th Ward, so it shouldn't be hard to narrow it down—and wait for them there, which would prevent Rize from ever attacking him. That would work even better, even if it meant I had to fight to the death. Even if I didn't smell good, I was pretty sure that that wouldn't affect my taste if someone ever was able to take a bite of me.

The first construction site was not familiar to me and it was the closest. I swore loudly and then darted towards the other one, which was on the other side of the ward.

"Fuck fuck, fuck fuck fuck!" I cursed continually as I ran. Would I get there in time? It was nearing nine o'clock, if not afterwards. I hadn't thought to bring my phone and I cursed louder. In my panic, it hadn't even occurred to me that I could call Ken and find out exactly where he was—if he would have answered at all. His manners would probably prevent him from checking his phone while he was on a date, even if it was an urgent call from his sister. Still, though, he wouldn't answer anyway if he had already been attacked.

The very thought of the pain that he could be in right now spurred me into an even more dogged run.

When I finally reached the alley, I could smell Ken acutely. However, I didn't smell blood, so there was still time. Panting, I slowed to a walk so that once the fight commenced—because I doubted Rize would give up her prey just like that, she was vicious—I would not be out of breath. I still might be slightly worn out, but that wasn't important. I could do this.

I would give my life to save my brother, my only remaining family. I believed that sacrifice would make my parents proud, all four of them.

I walked towards the alleyway that branched from the construction site and immediately saw them. Rize was leaning into Ken flirtatiously and the blush that I could see from this angle told me that my time was almost up. Once Rize got a bite of him, she would be much more powerful than she would be if she hadn't fed yet.

"Get away from him, you bitch!" I bellowed, charging forward. I didn't activate anything yet—if I could prevent Ken from finding out that I was part ghoul, I would.

Rize paused what she was doing and looked up at me. "Oh, is he yours, little girl?" she asked with a giggle. "Looks like you have an admirer, Kaneki-kun."

Ken ignored her, whirling around when he recognized my voice.

"Aiko-chan, what are you-?"

"Ken, run!" I screeched. "She's a ghou-"

Rize didn't give my brother any time to react. She bit down viciously into his shoulder and the terrified scream of pain that choked forth from his throat enraged me to the point where I couldn't resist my bloodlust. My kakugan activated and my kagune shot forth from my back, ripping the back of my school uniform.

My kagune was unique and rather powerful, and the only reason I could attribute to that was the fact that I was a hybrid. Ken would become insanely powerful as well, maybe even more powerful than me, if I failed my mission to save him. However, I was rusty in fighting, not nearly as practiced as I had been when I was with my foster family, and Rize had been using her kagune constantly during her binges. As her kagune activated in response to mine, I suddenly had the fleeting thought that I _actually might die_.

"Ken, run!" I screamed again, but Rize rushed me with her red kagune darting forth to impale me. I dodged by a few feet, but not nearly enough to prevent the second from wrapping around my ankle and landing me on my back. I roared in fury and the top two snapped down on the offending tendril and sawed into her kagune, the multiple rows of saw-like razors cutting and drawing blood.

My kagune were silver-white and looked like opaque, multi-faceted diamonds in the shape of lily petals, able to freeze into a shield just as hard as the jewels they looked like. However, they were could also be good at offense as well, as I could make them become jagged like rows of shark teeth and just as painful.

Rize deftly retracted her kagune from my ankle, whipping it so that the blood went flying off as it healed, and attempted to spear me again. I dodged once more and somersaulted out of the way before jerkily forcing myself on my feet again.

"Aiko…chan?" Ken wheezed, kneeling on the ground not far from the spot where Rize had bitten him and clutching his profusely bleeding shoulder.

"Why are you still here, you baka!" I roared at him. He just stared at me with wide eyes, and then I had to tear my eyes away to focus on the fight again.

Rize was laughing maniacally. "Ooooh, a one-eyed ghoul! You'll be a nice dessert after I'm done with your boyfriend!"

"He's my brother, you frigid cunt!" I hissed, blocking her attack at my thighs with my lower kagune, freezing them to be defensive while I lashed out with the top two, which were still formed for offense.

Rize blocked easily, whipping all four tendrils around me like an intricate and deadly dance. I was forced onto the defensive, retracting the razor edges and hardening my kagune into shields instead. I was able to block most of the blows, but she was knocking me around pretty good. Suddenly, two of them came at me from the side and before I could try to parry, she knocked me into the nearest wall hard enough to make a crater in the brick.

Dazed, I recovered as quickly as I could, surging forward and whipping her desperately with my kagune, morphing all of them into shark teeth. A glancing blow tore into her abdomen. I saw her eyes harden and she retreated, jumping back about ten feet.

"You're getting annoying, little girl," she spat. "I'm done playing."

I was panting and adrenaline coursed through my veins strongly enough to almost make me dizzy. She had just been _playing?_ I had exerted all my effort into dodging and it had been an effort just to graze her like I had.

Suddenly, she was attacking with real fervor and I found myself being knocked about like a soccer ball. A blow to my head blacked out my vision for five seconds, a tendril wrapped around my shin and shattered the bone. I screamed in pain even as the bone immediately began to knit itself back together. Another tendril had plunged into my stomach and exited through the back before I regained my vision, so fast were her attacks, and as I screamed I choked on blood.

Rize must have had some idea of a hybrid's healing abilities, because she didn't retract the kagune from my abdomen, which stopped my body from being able to heal itself though it still tried. I struggled feebly, so sick with pain that I would have vomited if my organs weren't skewered like shish kabobs. Her kagune wrapped around my throat and tightened.

"I like my meals fresh, so you'll be first to go," Rize gloated. "I changed my mind. Kaneki-kun can be dessert. You're much too delicious."

Somewhere from within my daze of pain, I noticed her licking my blood off one of her kagune, and then I realized that my organs and abdomen were healing. So she'd gotten the good blood, the fresh blood. But then the tendril around my throat tightened and I choked, no longer able to breathe. If it tightened anymore, it would snap my neck.

"No!"

Suddenly, I was released from the kagune. I couldn't understand it, but while I desperately tried to catch my breath, I noticed that Ken had tackled Rize with everything he was. Rize was rather petite and I knew that Ken probably weighed more than her, but it still didn't account for the difference in their species' strength. The only way Ken could have managed that was if he'd genuinely caught her by surprise.

I gasped painfully through a nearly-crushed windpipe, but I was regenerating quickly. Still, my abdomen wasn't finished healing yet and my shin was still tender, so it was all I could do to stumble towards them.

"You two are quite annoying," Rize snarled. She picked up Ken and hurled him into the center of the construction yard.

I frantically tried to catch up, to protect Ken from the scene that I had seen once before in another life, but I couldn't gain enough speed. One bite obviously wasn't enough to make me a match for Rize; I was simply too out of practice to keep up with her. I would be dead if not for Ken's valiant, self-sacrificing actions.

I had just reached the edge of the yard when I saw what I had never wanted to see.

"…scramble your organs like eggs!" And her kagune began to do just that.

I heard the snapping of cords, but Ken's screams were drowning out the sound for Rize. There was the groaning of metal and I knew exactly what was happening.

" _NO!"_

But it was too late. Even if I had wanted to kill Rize the way she was killing my brother, I couldn't change things now. Ken would die without an organ donor and Rize was obviously the only one who could supply that.

I fell to my knees, an agonized scream tearing from my throat as the construction site collapsed in on itself. I vaguely heard Rize mumble her last words, but it was mostly drowned out by my horrified sobs.

Eventually I stumbled through the wreckage to Ken's side. His eyes were glazed, but he was still conscious.

"Ken-kun, Ken, Ken…" I whispered urgently, kneeling on the steel beam caging him in. My vision was blurry from tears, but my sense of smell told me that he was losing a lot of blood very quickly.

"Aiko…chan?" he mumbled. "Please…it…h-hurts-"

"Shh, don't talk," I said, trying to soothe him as best I could through my panic. "Hey, hey, where's your phone? I'm going to call an ambulance, okay? Shh, shh, don't worry, everything's going to be okay."

Ken was nearly unconscious, and I wasn't sure if I was comforting him or myself at that point.

"Love…you, 'ko-chan," he wheeze, and then his eyes closed.

"No, Ken, Ken, stay awake!" I pleaded. "No, Ken! Open your eyes! _Open your eyes, damnit!"_ But he was too far gone and I knew time was running out.

However, before I reached the phone there was already a siren in the distance and nearing quickly. Someone must have seen the wreckage and heard the screams. I quickly made sure all signs of being a ghoul were gone and then stumbled towards the noise. I was fully healed at this point, but there was still residual pain.

"Help! HELP!" I screamed, my voice raw from its abuse, but I couldn't so much as give one fuck at that point. I waved my arms and then the ambulance screeched to a halt at the sidewalk. Mere seconds later, paramedics rushed out the back. "Over here! Over here! My brother, he's-"

What I didn't expect was to be seized and dragged away by one of the paramedics.

"No, stop! My brother! He's alive! You can't-no, not me-my brother! Stop! Let me go!"

In my panic for Ken's safety, I hadn't realized what I looked like. Blood soaked through my shirt front to back, a black and blue ring of bruising around my throat, and ragged, torn clothing.

"No, you stupid fucking idiot!" I gathered myself enough to elbow the paramedic and send him crashing to the ground.

I ran towards Ken but found him already on a stretcher being rushed towards the ambulance, a stretcher with Rize on it not far behind. Either she wasn't dead yet—good, let her feel pain—or they just didn't realize it.

I ran towards Ken, even as the paramedic I'd knocked down pursued me.

"Miss, you're injured! Please come with us, you need medical atten-"

Ken's cellphone had clattered to the ground as they wheel him there and I said, "Stop it! It's his blood!" Somewhere along the way I realized that I couldn't let them inspect me—it would reveal me to be a ghoul. "Just please, take him! There's no time to waste!"

"Miss, you need to-"

I picked up Ken's cellphone and then ran back to the paramedic. "Fine, take me! But get him help!" My tears were falling again and I was desperate, my heart pounding so hard and so fast it felt like I really would vomit, and this time, my organs weren't so torn that I wouldn't be able to.

They shuffled us all into the back of the van. Ken was the most important, apparently, and they hooked him up to every machine in the van.

I vaguely heard them calling out orders, such as 'blood transfusion' and 'surgery, stat!' I ignored them in favor of holding Ken's hand where an IV hadn't been put in.

I sat in complete, numb silence until we reached the hospital, and then I grew manic at the thought of them separating me from my brother. "No! No!" I screamed, desperately attempting to follow Ken and Rize into the operating room, but I was restrained by two burly policemen. I knew they were going to try to sedate me forcefully and I was in a lot of trouble because hypodermic needles couldn't penetrate my skin.

So, I disabled the two guards and I was forced to run. I didn't want to leave Ken, but if I didn't, I would be found out as a ghoul and sentenced to death. I wouldn't be able to protect Ken from beyond the grave.

I ran, crying the whole time, and they eventually lost the trail. At some point I got home and collapsed into bed, but the next morning I wouldn't remember it.


	2. Cut

_New chapter!_

 _I want to thank everyone who reviewed, but specifically **CrimsonUzumakiGod**. Your review was exactly what I needed to hear to kick me into gear for this next chapter, and I wrote it right after I got your review._

 _Seriously, everyone, nothing will get chapters out faster than reviews. I'm not the kind of person who will withhold an update until I get a certain number of reviews, but the more I get or just ones with really good content and encouragement undeniably help the writing process. I love people reading my stories and I write to please most of the time (as long as the idea catches my fancy, of course) so please, if you like this story, I beg you to review. You can't possibly understand the motivation it gives me and how disappointed I am when I don't get reviews. When people are reviewing, it lets me know that the story is appreciated and really oils the gears of creativity in my brain._

 _Anyways, I'm sure you all can guess what happens in this chapter. I did my very best to give Aiko a fighting chance without making her a Mary Sue. I'm very determined to make this a realistic as possible and not make her overpowered. If I've failed that, PLEASE let me know. I won't go back and change chapters, but it gives me a good idea on how to proceed._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Asymmetrical**

* * *

Chapter One

What a thrill -

My thumb instead of an onion.

The top quite gone

Except for a sort of a hinge

Of skin,

A flap like a hat,

Dead white.

Then that red plush.

-from "Cut" by Sylvia Plath

When Ken went off to college, I lost much of my ability to keep him safe, as we no longer attended the same school. We still lived together, of course, and since Kanou-sensei was still secretly sending us money, we could afford a two-bedroom apartment. Nonetheless, I worried about him when we weren't together.

One day, on a day like any other, Ken announced to me that he was going to the coffee shop, Anteiku. I knew that he was safe there, even if it was where he would eventually meet Rize, but I wasn't worried yet. Ken had never mentioned an attractive book-reading young woman around his age, so even though there were news reports about a binge-eater in the 20th Ward, I was certain that she hadn't shown up yet. Ken _surely_ would have told me about his crush.

"Promise you'll stay with Hide at all times!" I told him. "And don't stay out after dark! You know it's dangerous!"

"You're such a nag," he whined, but this was par for the course for us. I acted older than him, mostly because mentally I was, but he took it as his little sister being bossy. He never heard the very real undercurrent of worry in my voice.

"Promise?" I demanded, mock-glaring at him from over my algebra textbook.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I promise, Aiko-chan."

I huffed and nodded. "What time do you think you'll be back?" I asked. The fact that he was halfway out the door didn't faze me. Even though I had been raised in Japanese culture this time around, I still felt very much American, and Americans really don't have the same standard for manners that the Japanese do.

"Eight!" he called back. "Stop worrying so much!"

I frowned and stood up to follow him and possibly nag some more, which he would take good-naturedly as always, but by the time I reached the doorway he was already halfway down the street. Frowning even more deeply, I went back into the kitchen and began to review the most recent chapter assigned to my math class again.

Time passed quickly while I immersed myself in the new developments in the mathematical realm. Math was never my best subject and probably never would be, but I had to be prepared to be accepted into Kamii University. I had to protect Ken, and the best way to do that was to go to the same school as him. Of course, I was a year away from taking the entrance exams, but one could never be too prepared.

When I realized that it was eight-thirty at night and my brother still had not returned, I began to grow worried. I wasn't going to go jumping to conclusions that it was Rize because I was still certain that Ken would have told me about her. However, prudence made me pick up my cellphone and call Hide.

I was fond of Hide, even though he didn't play as much of a part in preventing my brother's loneliness as he had in the anime, simply because Ken wasn't alone as he would have been if I had not been thrust into this world. I was always there, hovering like a mother hen, even if Ken didn't see it for what it was. There was no way he could know who and what I truly was. I was hoping to keep the fact that I was hybrid from him for as long as possible—possibly forever. He didn't need to become involved in the world of ghouls. If the secret came out that a naturally born hybrid existed, that would be a futile effort. I would be hunted.

Which is why I didn't protest when Ken wanted to spend one-on-one time with Hide. If I failed with Rize—and I _wouldn't_ , I promised myself—at least Hide would prevent my brother from accepting his fate for much longer. And I would never let that Jason so much as lay a hand on him or blood would spill in rivers. The thought of Ken being tortured like that…well, it had horrified me in the anime, and now that I knew him, now that he was my beloved brother…Yamori would rue the day he had hunted the artificial hybrid.

But that wasn't going to happen. I would scramble Rize's intestines just so that Ken couldn't have them implanted into him.

"Moshi-moshi," answered Hide after two rings. I sighed in relief.

"Hey, Ken hasn't come home yet. Is he with you?" I asked as politely as possible. When Hide grunted in annoyance, I immediately began to scowl.

"Nah, he met this one chick he's been pining after and asked her out on a date. Dunno when they'll be back, but he texted me a little while ago saying that it was going great."

I froze. "Wh-what did she look like?" I demanded furiously, already knowing the answer.

"Whoa, chill, Jealous-san! She was really hot—kinda had the nerdy thing going on with the glasses, but nice tits and a rockin' bod. She's perfect for Kaneki-kun, she reads all the same stuff he does. Tatsuki Sen or something."

"Takatsuki Sen," I corrected automatically, as Ken had done for me so many times. Then I quickly freaked the fuck out. " _Ah, SHIT!"_

Hide protested, "Don't going ruining his date, you-"

I hung up abruptly.

I was panicking, but I was also furious. _Why_ hadn't Ken told me? Didn't he trust me? It was unfathomable that he wouldn't tell his sister, even if I _was_ a nag and even if I would strongly discourage it. However, the latter was something that he couldn't possibly know, so why wouldn't he tell me?

 _How was I supposed to keep him safe if he kept such important secrets from me?_

Then again, the still slightly rational voice in my head told me that Ken couldn't possibly know how big of a secret this was. Perhaps he was embarrassed to be so head-over-heels for a stranger. That would be very much in-character for him, but nonetheless, I wish he trusted me more.

I knew a fight was coming. I made sure to take a bite of the care-package that Kanou-sensei had sent three days ago, hidden in the depths of the refrigerator—thankfully, Ken never questioned them and I wasn't about to tell him. I wanted to be in perfect form, even if I was a little rusty since I hadn't been able to practice much while supervising Ken and without anywhere safe to release my kagune. Still, my incredible regenerative abilities would give me stamina that Rize couldn't keep up with, and fighting came naturally to me. It was strange, since I hadn't so much as been in a fistfight in my old life—I was actually a born pacifist, but I guess the ghoul in me had taken that characteristic away.

Or perhaps it was from the way I had died.

Pushing the thoughts from my head, I bolted out of the house, barely having the wherewithal to lock the door behind me. Being robbed was the least of my worries and at this point, every second counted.

Vaguely, I recalled the memories from Ken's date with Rize. They went to a bookstore—no, that would be over already. They went to dinner after the sun had set, but the name of the restaurant hadn't been stated in the anime—or if it had, it wasn't coming to mind. After all, for the first nine years of my life, I never really gave credence to the happenings of Tokyo Ghoul because I hadn't thought it would affect me. I cursed myself as I ran.

In the end, I determined that I would find the construction site—there were only a few in the 20th Ward, so it shouldn't be hard to narrow it down—and wait for them there, which would prevent Rize from ever attacking him. That would work even better, even if it meant I had to fight to the death. Even if I didn't smell good, I was pretty sure that that wouldn't affect my taste if someone ever was able to take a bite of me.

The first construction site was not familiar to me and it was the closest. I swore loudly and then darted towards the other one, which was on the other side of the ward.

"Fuck fuck, fuck fuck fuck!" I cursed continually as I ran. Would I get there in time? It was nearing nine o'clock, if not afterwards. I hadn't thought to bring my phone and I cursed louder. In my panic, it hadn't even occurred to me that I could call Ken and find out exactly where he was—if he would have answered at all. His manners would probably prevent him from checking his phone while he was on a date, even if it was an urgent call from his sister. Still, though, he wouldn't answer anyway if he had already been attacked.

The very thought of the pain that he could be in right now spurred me into an even more dogged run.

When I finally reached the alley, I could smell Ken acutely. However, I didn't smell blood, so there was still time. Panting, I slowed to a walk so that once the fight commenced—because I doubted Rize would give up her prey just like that, she was vicious—I would not be out of breath. I still might be slightly worn out, but that wasn't important. I could do this.

I would give my life to save my brother, my only remaining family. I believed that sacrifice would make my parents proud, all four of them.

I walked towards the alleyway that branched from the construction site and immediately saw them. Rize was leaning into Ken flirtatiously and the blush that I could see from this angle told me that my time was almost up. Once Rize got a bite of him, she would be much more powerful than she would be if she hadn't fed yet.

"Get away from him, you bitch!" I bellowed, charging forward. I didn't activate anything yet—if I could prevent Ken from finding out that I was part ghoul, I would.

Rize paused what she was doing and looked up at me. "Oh, is he yours, little girl?" she asked with a giggle. "Looks like you have an admirer, Kaneki-kun."

Ken ignored her, whirling around when he recognized my voice.

"Aiko-chan, what are you-?"

"Ken, run!" I screeched. "She's a ghou-"

Rize didn't give my brother any time to react. She bit down viciously into his shoulder and the terrified scream of pain that choked forth from his throat enraged me to the point where I couldn't resist my bloodlust. My kakugan activated and my kagune shot forth from my back, ripping the back of my school uniform.

My kagune was unique and rather powerful, and the only reason I could attribute to that was the fact that I was a hybrid. Ken would become insanely powerful as well, maybe even more powerful than me, if I failed my mission to save him. However, I was rusty in fighting, not nearly as practiced as I had been when I was with my foster family, and Rize had been using her kagune constantly during her binges. As her kagune activated in response to mine, I suddenly had the fleeting thought that I _actually might die_.

"Ken, run!" I screamed again, but Rize rushed me with her red kagune darting forth to impale me. I dodged by a few feet, but not nearly enough to prevent the second from wrapping around my ankle and landing me on my back. I roared in fury and the top two snapped down on the offending tendril and sawed into her kagune, the multiple rows of saw-like razors cutting and drawing blood.

My kagune were silver-white and looked like opaque, multi-faceted diamonds in the shape of lily petals, able to freeze into a shield just as hard as the jewels they looked like. However, they were could also be good at offense as well, as I could make them become jagged like rows of shark teeth and just as painful.

Rize deftly retracted her kagune from my ankle, whipping it so that the blood went flying off as it healed, and attempted to spear me again. I dodged once more and somersaulted out of the way before jerkily forcing myself on my feet again.

"Aiko…chan?" Ken wheezed, kneeling on the ground not far from the spot where Rize had bitten him and clutching his profusely bleeding shoulder.

"Why are you still here, you baka!" I roared at him. He just stared at me with wide eyes, and then I had to tear my eyes away to focus on the fight again.

Rize was laughing maniacally. "Ooooh, a one-eyed ghoul! You'll be a nice dessert after I'm done with your boyfriend!"

"He's my brother, you frigid cunt!" I hissed, blocking her attack at my thighs with my lower kagune, freezing them to be defensive while I lashed out with the top two, which were still formed for offense.

Rize blocked easily, whipping all four tendrils around me like an intricate and deadly dance. I was forced onto the defensive, retracting the razor edges and hardening my kagune into shields instead. I was able to block most of the blows, but she was knocking me around pretty good. Suddenly, two of them came at me from the side and before I could try to parry, she knocked me into the nearest wall hard enough to make a crater in the brick.

Dazed, I recovered as quickly as I could, surging forward and whipping her desperately with my kagune, morphing all of them into shark teeth. A glancing blow tore into her abdomen. I saw her eyes harden and she retreated, jumping back about ten feet.

"You're getting annoying, little girl," she spat. "I'm done playing."

I was panting and adrenaline coursed through my veins strongly enough to almost make me dizzy. She had just been _playing?_ I had exerted all my effort into dodging and it had been an effort just to graze her like I had.

Suddenly, she was attacking with real fervor and I found myself being knocked about like a soccer ball. A blow to my head blacked out my vision for five seconds, a tendril wrapped around my shin and shattered the bone. I screamed in pain even as the bone immediately began to knit itself back together. Another tendril had plunged into my stomach and exited through the back before I regained my vision, so fast were her attacks, and as I screamed I choked on blood.

Rize must have had some idea of a hybrid's healing abilities, because she didn't retract the kagune from my abdomen, which stopped my body from being able to heal itself though it still tried. I struggled feebly, so sick with pain that I would have vomited if my organs weren't skewered like shish kabobs. Her kagune wrapped around my throat and tightened.

"I like my meals fresh, so you'll be first to go," Rize gloated. "I changed my mind. Kaneki-kun can be dessert. You're much too delicious."

Somewhere from within my daze of pain, I noticed her licking my blood off one of her kagune, and then I realized that my organs and abdomen were healing. So she'd gotten the good blood, the fresh blood. But then the tendril around my throat tightened and I choked, no longer able to breathe. If it tightened anymore, it would snap my neck.

"No!"

Suddenly, I was released from the kagune. I couldn't understand it, but while I desperately tried to catch my breath, I noticed that Ken had tackled Rize with everything he was. Rize was rather petite and I knew that Ken probably weighed more than her, but it still didn't account for the difference in their species' strength. The only way Ken could have managed that was if he'd genuinely caught her by surprise.

I gasped painfully through a nearly-crushed windpipe, but I was regenerating quickly. Still, my abdomen wasn't finished healing yet and my shin was still tender, so it was all I could do to stumble towards them.

"You two are quite annoying," Rize snarled. She picked up Ken and hurled him into the center of the construction yard.

I frantically tried to catch up, to protect Ken from the scene that I had seen once before in another life, but I couldn't gain enough speed. One bite obviously wasn't enough to make me a match for Rize; I was simply too out of practice to keep up with her. I would be dead if not for Ken's valiant, self-sacrificing actions.

I had just reached the edge of the yard when I saw what I had never wanted to see.

"…scramble your organs like eggs!" And her kagune began to do just that.

I heard the snapping of cords, but Ken's screams were drowning out the sound for Rize. There was the groaning of metal and I knew exactly what was happening.

" _NO!"_

But it was too late. Even if I had wanted to kill Rize the way she was killing my brother, I couldn't change things now. Ken would die without an organ donor and Rize was obviously the only one who could supply that.

I fell to my knees, an agonized scream tearing from my throat as the construction site collapsed in on itself. I vaguely heard Rize mumble her last words, but it was mostly drowned out by my horrified sobs.

Eventually I stumbled through the wreckage to Ken's side. His eyes were glazed, but he was still conscious.

"Ken-kun, Ken, Ken…" I whispered urgently, kneeling on the steel beam caging him in. My vision was blurry from tears, but my sense of smell told me that he was losing a lot of blood very quickly.

"Aiko…chan?" he mumbled. "Please…it…h-hurts-"

"Shh, don't talk," I said, trying to soothe him as best I could through my panic. "Hey, hey, where's your phone? I'm going to call an ambulance, okay? Shh, shh, don't worry, everything's going to be okay."

Ken was nearly unconscious, and I wasn't sure if I was comforting him or myself at that point.

"Love…you, 'ko-chan," he wheeze, and then his eyes closed.

"No, Ken, Ken, stay awake!" I pleaded. "No, Ken! Open your eyes! _Open your eyes, damnit!"_ But he was too far gone and I knew time was running out.

However, before I reached the phone there was already a siren in the distance and nearing quickly. Someone must have seen the wreckage and heard the screams. I quickly made sure all signs of being a ghoul were gone and then stumbled towards the noise. I was fully healed at this point, but there was still residual pain.

"Help! HELP!" I screamed, my voice raw from its abuse, but I couldn't so much as give one fuck at that point. I waved my arms and then the ambulance screeched to a halt at the sidewalk. Mere seconds later, paramedics rushed out the back. "Over here! Over here! My brother, he's-"

What I didn't expect was to be seized and dragged away by one of the paramedics.

"No, stop! My brother! He's alive! You can't-no, not me-my brother! Stop! Let me go!"

In my panic for Ken's safety, I hadn't realized what I looked like. Blood soaked through my shirt front to back, a black and blue ring of bruising around my throat, and ragged, torn clothing.

"No, you stupid fucking idiot!" I gathered myself enough to elbow the paramedic and send him crashing to the ground.

I ran towards Ken but found him already on a stretcher being rushed towards the ambulance, a stretcher with Rize on it not far behind. Either she wasn't dead yet—good, let her feel pain—or they just didn't realize it.

I ran towards Ken, even as the paramedic I'd knocked down pursued me.

"Miss, you're injured! Please come with us, you need medical atten-"

Ken's cellphone had clattered to the ground as they wheel him there and I said, "Stop it! It's his blood!" Somewhere along the way I realized that I couldn't let them inspect me—it would reveal me to be a ghoul. "Just please, take him! There's no time to waste!"

"Miss, you need to-"

I picked up Ken's cellphone and then ran back to the paramedic. "Fine, take me! But get him help!" My tears were falling again and I was desperate, my heart pounding so hard and so fast it felt like I really would vomit, and this time, my organs weren't so torn that I wouldn't be able to.

They shuffled us all into the back of the van. Ken was the most important, apparently, and they hooked him up to every machine in the van.

I vaguely heard them calling out orders, such as 'blood transfusion' and 'surgery, stat!' I ignored them in favor of holding Ken's hand where an IV hadn't been put in.

I sat in complete, numb silence until we reached the hospital, and then I grew manic at the thought of them separating me from my brother. "No! No!" I screamed, desperately attempting to follow Ken and Rize into the operating room, but I was restrained by two burly policemen. I knew they were going to try to sedate me forcefully and I was in a lot of trouble because hypodermic needles couldn't penetrate my skin.

So, I disabled the two guards and I was forced to run. I didn't want to leave Ken, but if I didn't, I would be found out as a ghoul and sentenced to death. I wouldn't be able to protect Ken from beyond the grave.

I ran, crying the whole time, and they eventually lost the trail. At some point I got home and collapsed into bed, but the next morning I wouldn't remember it.

* * *

 _I don't know if you read the author's note at the top, but I hope you did! Please review! I love everyone one of you who follows, favorites, and reviews, but reviews are the real motivation._

 _I promise I won't go begging like this again!_


	3. Uriel

_Hey everyone!_

 _I've been sick, but my meds have caffeine in them, and that makes me super hyper. SO, that means that you get a chapter today!_

 _Questionably edited (I did my best) and with lots of happenings, I present to you Chapter Two. This is THE LONGEST CHAPTER I have ever posted on Fanfiction. Tokyo Ghoul fans, you're welcome. :)_

 **Also _,_** _I want to give credit to CrimsonUzumakiGod yet again. It's not quite ready yet, but they're making me a proper story picture to post alongside the story. So you'll get to see at least a profile pic of Aiko soon!_

 _If anyone wants to draw a rendition of Aiko full-bodied, please be my guest. You would be the most awesome person in the history of forever (next to CrimsonUzumakiGod, who told me that my current pic sucks xD)._

 _It should also be noted that the characters for this fic have changed now that I have a better idea on where I'm going with this. You'll see by the end of the chapter. Please enjoy!_

* * *

 **Asymmetrical**

* * *

Chapter Two

Straightway a forgetting wind

Stole over the celestial kind

And their lips the secret kept 45

If in ashes the fire-seed slept.

-from "Uriel" by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I woke up the next morning feeling dirty and sticky, and reeking of dried blood. I lay in my bed, confused for all of five seconds, before I leapt out from beneath the comforter and charged towards the front door to go visit Ken.

And then I realized that I couldn't go out in public the way I looked; it would only bring suspicion upon myself, and that was putting it lightly. I probably looked like a wreck; I certainly felt like one.

Quickly, I hurried to the shared bathroom after grabbing a nonsensical assortment of clothes from which I could choose a proper outfit. Just as I was slipping into the still-cold water coming from the showerhead, I remembered that I had school. A quick glance at my clock when I woke up told me that class had started three hours ago.

Fuck school, I thought viciously, my heart pounding at the thought of Ken all alone in his hospital bed, struggling for the organs to acclimate to his body and while also fighting against all odds to repel Rize's influence. I scrubbed my body furiously, flecks of dried blood falling from my skin into the stream of water and then swirling down the drain.

I washed my hair and the soap came away tinged pink. I was surprised that so much blood had gotten into my hair, but I supposed a head wound wouldn't be out of the question with how Rize had kicked my ass so thoroughly.

As soon as I could, I exited the shower, not caring that I was dripping water onto the tile as I toweled myself off. I inspected myself in the mirror as I hadn't before I got in the shower; I looked normal enough. My green eyes looked exactly the same as they always had, if not a little tired. Interestingly enough, my eyes had stayed with me from my previous life; they were the same shade down to every speckle in my irises. However, my second mother had had stunning green eyes as well—I knew from the pictures—so at least it hadn't been cause for any confusion about my parentage. I pulled my short white hair up into as high of a ponytail as it would go and then applied a meager amount of mascara and eyeliner. I didn't often wear makeup, mostly because I didn't see the necessity in it, but I wanted to look as put-together as possible when I showed up at the hospital so no one tried to sedate me again.

After what had happened last night, I would clearly have to be on my best behavior and could claim shock for my brashness. Being found out by the CCG would be a disaster and I was already pushing the bill showing up at the hospital at all, especially if they hadn't dropped the search.

I decided that I would text Kanou-sensei—I rarely ever spoke to him, but I had his number for emergencies—and let him know I was coming. Nothing like having a renowned doctor on one's side to prevent an investigation and detainment.

Pulling on an olive tank top, black jeans and some black boots that were good for on-the-go combat—or so I assumed, since I hadn't been in much of any combat until my fight with Rize the night before—I grabbed my cellphone, keys, and purse so that I could make my way to the hospital. It was a bit of a ways and as I walked down the sidewalk, I had to assume that the fact I made it back to the apartment the night previous was due to instinct and pure adrenalin. It would be better and faster to take the subway, but I needed the fresh air to clear my mind.

The sky was clear and blue, but the sun's heat was muted by gusty breezes that kept my skin chilled. I contemplated that I should have brought a jacket, but didn't even start to consider walking back to grab one. While my pace was more or less sedate, I didn't want to waste any time. Ken needed me, and I would be damned if I wasn't going to be there.

The construction site where the fight had happened wasn't far from the hospital, but I resolved to not go anywhere near the place. There would likely be a CCG investigation, and I wanted to stay out of that as much as possible.

It suddenly occurred to me that they might bring me in for questioning and the thought sent a zing of fear down my spine. If I couldn't hold myself against Rize, there was no way I could fight Mado and get out alive. After all, he had murdered my father, and I knew that it would be a miracle if I could see him again without having a terrible urge to kill him. Mado Kureo was not someone I wanted to encounter at all unless I was ready to kill him.

I was soothed a moment later when I realized that Kanou-sensei would do everything in his power to keep the CCG away from me and Ken. We were now both hybrids and that painted a bright red target on both of us, but unlike in the original timeline, Kanou-sensei had a particular fondness for me, which I hoped would extend to Ken, as well. I was never very sure why he would go to such lengths for me and not for the hybrid of his own creation, but his reasons were his own and I wasn't in a position to ask. All I could hope was that he would not withdraw his help now—not that there was any reason for him to.

I was thoroughly lost in my thoughts as I turned the corner that would give me a straight shot to the hospital, so I only had a second to recognize the scent of approaching ghouls before two were standing in front of me, seemingly from out of nowhere.

They knew that I was a ghoul, and I knew that they were ghouls. Our superior sense of smell was useful in that regard. They didn't, however, know that I was a hybrid. I was confused as to why they were approaching me until I recognized the teenaged male on the left.

Kirishima Ayato.

I paused in my steps, the polite greeting frozen behind my lips. Was Aogiri Tree formed yet? The question was a valid one, as in the anime, there hadn't been an actual date upon which the organization had been created, only that it had been. If it was active, maybe they were recruiting.

But why would they have any interest in _me?_ As far I knew, they didn't just approach ghouls on the streets and ask if they wanted to join.

Gathering myself—I doubted they were here to harm me, not in the open like this—I said as politely as I could, "Can I help you two gentlemen?"

The one on the left snorted and looked at Ayato, apparently for a command. I soothed myself; that didn't necessarily mean Aogiri Tree was a thing yet. Ayato was a very powerful ukaku and not a person to be trifled with. My memories of him were even more vague than those of my brother and the plotline, but not so much that I knew I shouldn't mess with him lightly.

Ayato, however, remained silent, his eyes appraising me critically. I fidgeted under his stare involuntarily, not sure how to respond. I didn't want a fight, not when I had just gotten my ass kicked the night before. Now that Ken was a hybrid like me, we could spar with each other and get better at fighting so that we could defend ourselves. The theory of fighting was still fresh in my mind, it was simply that my body couldn't keep up with my mind's commands. I was sure that with Ken's help and the fact that I didn't have to keep my true species a secret anymore, we could better ourselves to stand on our own.

When the silence became prolonged, I grew annoyed. Ken was waiting for me. However, I kept my irritation hidden from my voice and joked, "It's very rude to accost young women in the middle of the street, you know."

"Come with us," Ayato said abruptly. I frowned.

"I don't think so," I replied, leaking hostility into my voice. "I don't know you, and with all the attacks going on recently, I'd prefer to stay alive."

"Don't make us force you, girlie," the other ghoul said tauntingly. "We just want to have a little chat, that's all."

I eyed them warily. I couldn't take them on in a fight. Maybe the nameless weaker-looking ghoul, but not Ayato, and definitely not both of them at once. That meant that I didn't want to be alone with them and I knew that staying out in the open was my best bet.

"We can chat right here," I said. "I have nothing to hide. Do you?"

Ayato's cool, apathetic expression hardened at my defiance. "Last chance: come with us, or I will take you by force."

Those were the last words I wanted to hear.

Even though my speed was laughable compared to an ukaku's, I was still going to make a run for it. I whirled on my heels and darted into traffic, narrowly avoiding being run over by a car that was going way past the speed limit. I vaulted over another car that screeched to a halt at the sight of me and blaring honks followed my escape. One driver even rolled down his window to give me a piece of his mind, but I was too worried about escaping my pursuers to give him the time of day.

However, I could hear from the mad pitter-patter of footsteps behind me that crossing the street had been easier for them than it had for me, probably because the cars were already prepared for obnoxious teenage antics— _if only that was what they really were_ —and I forced myself to run even faster, still in the direction of the hospital.

I hadn't texted Kanou-sensei yet, unfortunately, so he would not be expecting my arrival. However, I didn't dare get within twenty yards of the hospital grounds before talking to him, so I decided to multitask. Running as fast as I could—a quick glance over my shoulder revealed that they were gaining on me—I searched for a crowd to disappear into.

Luckily, there was an intersection up ahead that had a large cluster of people waiting to cross the street. I quickly melded into them, hiding myself among the scents of deodorant, body odor, and natural human smell. Ayato might be bloodthirsty, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to attack what was essentially a horde of humans in broad daylight.

Would he?

Hurriedly fishing my phone out from my purse, I pressed the speed dial that would connect me to Kanou-sensei. It was a little silly to have an as-of-yet unused phone number on speed dial, but it was technically an emergency number in my case. I pressed the phone up to my ear and took a deep breath, trying to locate the scent of any ghouls closing in on me. Surreptitious looks in all directions showed that my pursuers were not in my immediate vicinity, but that didn't mean they weren't still following me—my sense of smell hadn't lied yet and it was telling me that they were close.

There were four rings before it went to voicemail and I cursed. However, I left a rapidly-spoken voicemail that I hoped was intelligible in the crowd.

"Kanou-sensei, it's Murasaki Aiko," I said. I decided to use my birth surname because the packages were always sent under that name, even though I was technically Kaneki Aiko after Ken's mother adopted me. "I'm heading over to the hospital right now to visit Ken and I'm sure you heard that there was a little bit of a…mishap last night. I was hoping you could help get me some kind of clearance and maybe prevent me from being bothered. Also, I'm being pursued right now, so if I don't show up in thirty minutes, I'm probably…" Well, I didn't want to say _dead_ , because I didn't honestly think that that was what Ayato's intentions were, nor did I want to sound dramatic. "I'm probably in a bit of trouble. It's 11:37 a.m. right now. Arigatou gozaimasu."

Just as I was hanging up a phone and starting to move with the crowd across the street, a hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed my wrist in a vice-grip. I was about to scream when I was pulled back against a hard chest and a low, masculine voice caressed my ear.

"Make a scene and I'll kill everyone here. Or don't you care about that?"

These people were nothing to me, but I _did_ care because I had to be there for Ken, and if I was a wanted criminal and recognized ghoul, I would not only be useless to him, but I would actually be a detriment to his safety. Therefore, I took a deep breath, swallowed the lump in my throat, and allowed myself to be guided away from the crowd.

I didn't so much as receive a glance, even when I looked pleadingly at the people surrounding me. A dark thought crossed my mind. _Stupid humans._

Ayato had apparently pursued me by his lonesome because we met back up with the other ghoul by an alleyway two blocks back from where I had run, unfortunately moving in the opposite direction of the hospital. I frowned and tried to tug my arm away from Ayato's harsh grip, but he only tightened his hold until it felt like he was a pascal away from shattering my wrist bones. I scowled and followed more quickly. I doubted they wanted to kill me, I really did—why kill a hybrid with the potential to be extraordinarily powerful? And even if they didn't know that, why kill another ghoul for no reason?—so I could only hope to make this encounter as short and sweet as possible.

We met up with the other ghoul presently and then walked deep into an alley. Ayato told the other ghoul, "Torino, secure the perimeter. I don't need your help with this."

Torino didn't seem surprised and part of me was glad that I wouldn't be dealing with an unknown element. It wasn't that Ayato was really someone I had been dying to meet, or that he was even a favored character of mine at all—even though he was even more attractive in real life than in the anime—but it was that, on some sick level, I felt safer with the bloodthirsty killer that I knew as opposed to the one that I didn't.

Ayato finally released me and I took a breath as he turned to face me.

"Activate your kakugan," he commanded imperiously.

I thought quickly. So apparently, there was a notion that I wasn't a regular ghoul, or else he wouldn't be asking that kind of question. However, how he knew that was not privy to me, as I had never been told I smelled any differently. Luckily, my hair easily covered the eye that remained human—by no means was this unintentional, I had actually been styling my hair like this at my foster family's request since I moved in with them—and easily acquiesced, certain that he would take it at face value.

My left eye's sclera turned black and my iris blood red. I looked at Ayato confidently, deciding that I had no reason to fear. He wouldn't kill me if I didn't provoke him, I told myself. There was no need for violence today.

Then Ayato lifted his hand and brushed my bangs away from my eyes. I immediately jerked away from him, unused to and not liking touch from anyone other than my brother. At the sight of my human eye, he didn't look surprised in the slightest; rather, he nodded once as though a conjecture had been confirmed.

"So you're a hybrid," he said apathetically. I was grateful for the lack of a different tone, as that would mean that he cared more than he should.

"Yes," I replied curtly. A thought struck me. "How did you know? Do I smell different?" I couldn't think of any other way he would have known.

"Several of my people witnessed your… _fight_ last night," Ayato said, scoffing at the word 'fight.' It was clear what he thought of my offensive capabilities, and that was not much. "As pathetic as you were, your kakugan was hard to miss." I read between the lines and noted that he was referring to the lack thereof.

"Fantastic," I drawled, sounding much more confident than I actually was. The use of the term 'my people' obviously meant that Aogiri Tree had been formed, or at least was in its budding stages, and that meant bad things for Ken and me. I had to hope that this was a friendly neighborhood ghoul visit, but then it occurred to me that Aogiri Tree had started the human-ghoul war in the 11th Ward. That meant Ayato and his comrade had traveled all the way to the peace-loving 20th Ward just…to have a chat with me. I could only pray that they had other business here as well and were not here only for my sake.

"You're…unpracticed," he said, and he managed to make the word sound like a compliment, which meant that he _really_ didn't think much of my skills in combat at all. "But we have an organization that could help you become very powerful. There's no reason to stay here and be hunted by doves, especially when you wouldn't last thirty seconds."

This was something like the spiel I was expecting. In order to spur him on, I asked him about what kind of organization it was with just the right amount of curiosity, even though I already knew, and he went off on a borderline rant about the great injustice against ghouls and how they needed to take over the city, and that Aogiri Tree was the best way to achieve that end. I let him go on while I hardly paid any attention, instead trying to think of a way to talk myself out of this mess.

I didn't necessarily disagree with him, though. The relentless hunting of ghouls, while understandable on the humans' part as ghouls removed them from the top of the food chain, was definitely not something I was fond of in any way. It put me in danger and now it was going to put Ken in danger, as well. That was something I wasn't willing to tolerate.

However, I also didn't believe that a mass takeover of Tokyo was the way to go, either. While I had no compunction about killing as long as it was for Ken's sake, or eating human flesh, as it was all I had ever known in this life, I didn't think that humans should be subjugated. I remembered how in Season One, Ken had believed himself to be the only way to bridge the gap of misunderstanding between humans and ghouls, as he was a hybrid himself. That train of thought hadn't lasted too long for him, but I did think there was some merit to it. It simply had to be started at a different point than fighting off a CCG investigator from helping his partner. It would take planning and thought, but I believed there was a way to end the suffering on both sides.

My mind forced itself into the present as I noticed that Ayato's fervor for the subject, while not waning, was starting to slow. I had been nodding at all the correct times, but I had to keep him talking to give myself more time to plan how to get out of this without committing myself to the organization.

"Isn't there a way to do it without bloodshed?" I asked, knowing that it would spur him into a full-on rant while not being particularly interested in exactly what he had to say.

He called me pathetic yet again before starting to meticulously find every fault with Anteiku that had ever and could ever possibly exist. It bought me the time I needed.

There were a couple of pros to joining Aogiri Tree, I had to admit. They could teach me to fight the best out of anyone I knew, and Ken's strength in the original timeline had been bolstered by Aogiri Tree specifically. The only way I could protect Ken was if I could fight and defend us both against multiple attackers. Another pro was that it would provide a certain amount of protection to both myself and my brother—as the saying goes, 'safety in numbers.' If I was on my own, I might have chosen to join, if only temporarily.

But I had to take into account Ken's feelings. I was hoping to make his transition into being a ghoul as painless and shameless as possible, but I knew that he would certainly protest against killing. The only reason that changed was because of the torture he went through with Yamori in the show, where he realized that it truly was kill or be killed in this world. However, this time around he had me, and I wanted to be able to protect the both of us well enough that Ken wouldn't have to make that drastic change; rather, I would have the blood on my hands for the both of us so that he wouldn't have to carry that burden.

Aogiri Tree was not right for Ken. They would want him to kill humans, and he would not want to do that. They would make him forsake Hide. They would train him to fight, which Ken was certainly not interested in. They would harden him, which was something that _I_ did not want for him. Ken wouldn't want to join Aogiri Tree, and if I became involved with them in any way, Ken would be dragged into that. They wouldn't force him, I was certain, but we wouldn't make any friends saying by no to them.

Anteiku was what he needed right now. Anteiku, the 'human-loving pieces of shit,' as Ayato was so fervently calling them at this very moment. Ayato wasn't actually talking all that much, really, not enough that it would seem odd for him; I was just capable of thinking very quickly. However, I could tell that the time was going to come when I needed to answer him.

"…you see your best option," he was saying.

I clued in to the present. "No," I said. "I don't think I do. I don't want to fight."

Ayato's nostrils flared in irritation. "Then you want to die?"

"I hadn't fed in a while last night, that's all. I can defend myself," I lied rather convincingly. Ayato just looked at me hard, not impressed with my answer, and I went on to seal the deal. "My brother is a human." Another lie. He _had been_ a human. "I have every reason to be a 'human-lover,' and that's not going to change. Am I supposed to pick all-out war over family? Because that's what you're talking about."

Ayato was looking at me condescendingly, as though he were talking to a very small child. However, there was contempt in that gaze, and I remembered belatedly how Ayato felt towards his sister—and she was family, too, all that he had left.

Seeing that I was getting nowhere with him, I sighed. "Look, I'm not going to get involved with this. I just want to live peacefully. No: that's my answer." My gaze hardened threateningly. "I'm not going to change my mind, so I don't want to hear from you again, got that?"

What I hadn't taken into account was that in Ayato's mind, I was about as threatening as a fly and probably just as annoying. It seemed like he was going to concede though, and I thought that I had been right. They weren't going to force anyone to join.

"Alright," he said. "We don't want an unwilling fighter. Torino!" The other ghoul, who had been standing watch a little ways away at the exit of the alley and smoking a cigarette to look leisurely, turned and face Ayato with a raised eyebrow.

Ayato looked back at me and snatched my wrist tightly. "But unfortunately, you're too much of a resource to leave out here in the open. You'll change your mind soon, I promise." The feral grin on his face worried me greatly, and it was then that I realized I was about to be kidnapped.

"Let me go! I have to go see my brother!" I snarled viciously, immediately calling upon my kagune and moving into a defensive stance. I knew that Ayato was an ukaku, and while he was definitely above my skill level, I was lucky in that I would have better stamina and healing than he would as a rinkaku myself. The problem was that this was exactly what I had wanted to avoid: two on one, because as Ayato vaulted into the air with his wing-like kagune holding him steady, Torino with his unknown RC type was behind me.

I inhaled deeply, hardening my kagune and preparing for a fight, when suddenly, a much, much better defense came to mind. I withdrew my kagune and deactivated my kakugan, looking for all the world like a terrified teenager about to be eaten by ghouls.

"Help! Please, somebody help!" I screamed, my voice cracking from the sheer volume. _"Ghouls!"_

I began to run towards the scent I had just caught— _disgusting, bloodthirsty piece of shit_ —and while it wouldn't be enough to get past Torino, the blatant disregard to my own species' safety was enough to stun Ayato and Torino enough to buy me some time. If I wasn't injured, there was no reason to be suspicious when I healed too quickly.

I knew that the people I was relying on for help were more of the ambushing type than head-on combat, but the younger of the pair had an innate sense of justice, albeit misplaced, that would not allow him to leave a frightened girl to die to ghouls.

Even if she was one herself, but he didn't have to know that.

Ayato wouldn't know the scent that I had picked up on, so he spat, "Is that your best play, little girl?" Apparently I looked younger than I was, which was a little insulting, since I was much mentally much, much older than he. "Calling for help? You're even more pathetic than I thought."

And then he was nearly speared in the back by a quinque, wielded by none other than Mado Kureo. It was only his inhumanly superior speed that save him from a grievous injury, but I wasn't concerned that Ayato would be felled by these men. Torino, perhaps, but definitely not Ayato.

In that moment, I wasn't hoping for Mado's death. While I was not necessarily determined to kill him with my own hands, he was of better use to me alive at this point than dead.

If you can't win 'em, use 'em.

How amazing would it be if he ever realized that he girl whose life he had 'saved' was actually a ghoul? That was a kick in the balls for someone like him any day.

"You bitch!" Ayato roared at me, but I was keeping up the act of frightened girl and quickly darted behind the two investigators. With my dyed hair and natural green eyes, they wouldn't suspect me to be anything other than human unless I was wounded—which meant that all I had to do was stay back.

"Stay behind me," Amon Koutarou said to me urgently. "We'll take care of these two for you."

A miraculous idea occurred to me. If I could get in good with Amon—I would always hate Mado—then my and Ken's safety was all but assured. It would not be unreasonable to assume that I could arrange for Mado's death to happen as it had in the anime, even if it would mean that Hinami was orphaned and Ken and Touka lost someone they cared about. Mado was a bigger threat. However, if I could gain Amon's trust…

My thoughts moved to an even more grandiose scale. If I could gain Amon's trust and ingratiate myself with him, it would be the first step to revolutionizing the world as it was. An investigator and a ghoul, working together to bring peace to Tokyo, if not the world? It was ingenious, if I did say so myself. If it was possible for anyone to see both sides of the story in the CCG, it was Amon Koutarou.

Plan budding in my mind, I played a very convincing part as damsel-in-distress. However, my two 'protectors' were very efficient, and soon, Torino was mortally wounded. Now here was the question: would Ayato get his comrade to safety, or would he fight until both investigators were dead?

Apparently, he chose the former, although I could see that he was flagging, his stamina already greatly reduced after the initial ten minutes. He heaved Torino's wounded body from the ground, deactivated his kagune, and left, but not before shooting me a dangerous glare that shone with promise.

I decided that I didn't want to think about what that promise might be.

I sighed in relief as he fled before catching myself when Mado made to pursue. However, while Amon was the junior of the pair, his hand on Mado's shoulder reminded the bastard that they had a 'civilian' to take care of.

"Are you hurt?" Amon asked gently, kneeling down to be eye-level with me. Either I was very short, or he was very tall. Maybe both.

My hands were naturally trembling with adrenaline and also anger, a side effect of being so close to my enemies, specifically Mado, so I didn't have to fake that much. Jerkily, I shook my head in the negative.

"Got yourself into some trouble, eh?" said Mado, and I had to resist my urge to sneer at his lackadaisical attitude. However, I suppose he wasn't usually the one in charge of dealing with civilians. "Good thing we were around, don't you think?"

He was staring at me intensely and I fought hard not to fidget. I had been very young when I last saw him, it had been dark, and now my hair was a different color. There was no way he'd recognize me—although I had to admit that his instincts were killer. I'd need to be careful around him.

"Yes," I agreed, leaking some fear into my voice. Then I looked them both in the eyes and said, "Thank you so much!" Now was the time for some gushing and hero-worship, I decided. "I-I would be dead without you…oh my god, I-I-thank you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I bowed deeply and repeatedly to show my gratitude.

"Our job is to protect people like you," Amon said kindly. I smiled at him genuinely. He really was a good guy. I needed to start changing his mind about the status quo _before_ Mado died, or else he would be impossible to reach. "You're very welcome."

Mado was watching me keenly and I decided that an ordinary human girl wouldn't be bothered by that, so I ignored him.

"I…I was just about to go visit my brother in the hospital," I said softly. "He was also attacked by ghouls, but it nearly killed him. He's still in the intensive care unit, and I'm really worried about him, but now…" I trailed off meaningfully.

Amon and Mado looked at each other for a moment. Despite my hatred for the latter, I had to admit that their partnership was seamless.

"We've got a lead on Jason to follow," Mado said with a shrug. I hid the stiffening of my shoulders very well at the mention, but either way, neither of them were looking at me. "Not time-sensitive, I'd say."

"I'll see you in fifteen," Amon replied. "Come on." This was directed at me. "I'm going to walk you to the hospital, okay? We'll get you checked out."

"A-alright," I said. This was probably more perfect than I could hope for. Time alone with Amon this early in the timeline could be game-changing. Mado wasn't supposed to die for at least another three months.

We left the alley, carefully sidestepping the pool of Torino's blood. It smelled terrible and I wondered vaguely why a ghoul would ever become a cannibal, as even in canon they said that their own kind tasted terrible.

Once we had walked out into the street and were in public again, Amon asked me casually, "So, what's your name?"

"Kaneki Aiko," I replied. "A-and, I'm sorry for my rudeness. I never asked your name."

"Amon Koutarou, Junior Special Investigator," he said, unmistakable pride in his voice. "You're very lucky we were in the area. You could have been killed."

"I know," I responded sadly. I looked up at the sky as we walked and the weariness that overcame me very much real. "I wonder why the world has to be like this, you know? All the bloodshed…"

Amon took it exactly the way I expected him to, and it occurred to me that it was possible I had been older than him when I died. "It's because of the ghoul's nature," Amon replied, his tone serious and self-righteous. "Their appetites and physical traits make them the most dangerous animals on the planet."

That was bold, and I had to think a moment on which fallacy to point out first. I decided it would be better not to start out with anything big, so pointing out that ghouls were as intelligent and sentient as humans and not all that different from them except in what they ate was not the way to go. I settled on something a little less obvious.

"Do you think they have to eat humans, or do they just choose to?"

I was proud of the phrasing; it was actually a very thought-provoking question, in my opinion.

"No one knows for sure," Amon deflected. That was bullshit. The CCG had studied plenty of ghouls, dead and alive, and I was certain they would know if ghouls could eat something other than human flesh.

I frowned. "My mom told me, before she died, that ghouls _have_ to eat human flesh or they'll die. I think it's sad. Ghouls can speak our language, and learn in school, and be everything like humans, but they have to eat us or else they'll die. What if a human was friends with a ghoul? What if they had to eat them?"

Amon focused on the easiest argument, which I should have predicted. "That's why humans should never be friends with ghouls. The less you interact with them, the safer you'll be."

"I would hate to be a ghoul," I said. We were nearing the hospital now and I wanted to leave him with something to think about before I saw him again—and I had decided that I certainly would. It wouldn't be out of character to bring him a gift to his office to thank him for saving my life, now would it? "Even though they almost just killed me, I'm certain that it was just because they were hungry. I feel so bad for them. They're hated by everybody just because they're different."

We stepped in front of the hospital and Amon turned to me. I absently realized that the conversation I had started had made him forget to have the doctors check me out. He placed his hands on my shoulders and said, "Ghouls are not hated because they're different, Kaneki-san. They're hated because they're dangerous and a threat to the peace of society."

I nodded, knowing that there wasn't much more I could say. There was a clear tone of finality in his voice and I knew better than to push too hard all at once. "Thank you again, Amon-san."

"You're welcome, Kaneki-san. You have a good day, and I hope your brother gets well soon." He waved as he walked away, and then he was gone.

As I entered the hospital, I sighed in frustration. That hadn't gone nearly as well as I would have hoped, but according to the timeline, I had at least a month until Ken was recovered enough to come home. I began to make a mental list of the things I would have to take care of in that amount of time, but my thoughts were overshadowed by those of my conversation with Amon.

In the end I decided that in the end, it went as the saying goes: Rome wasn't built in a day.

* * *

 _That's a wrap! I hope it didn't move too fast or was confusing at all. Please let me know!_

 _As always, please bless my day and encourage me to write more by reviewing! They mean so much to me! :D_

 _Cheers!_


	4. A Time to Talk

_Hey everyone! New chapter out!_

 _So there was a short delay as I tried to get my bearings with the overall plot and continuity of the story, but now that that's over with, we get to have more frequent updates._

 _While romance is not mentioned in the genre category, there WILL be some necessary romance in this story. I won't tell you who the pairing is except that it's with the OC; I haven't decided if I'm going to write Touken yet. I originally thought I would, but things have changed. The romance, however, will be for the sake of the plot. This is not primarily a romance fic and that's not going to change. Also, the romance in this fic is meant to be natural and realistic, therefore characters who are together for a time may not end up being together forever or even until the end of the story. Just stick around, 'kay?_

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Asymmetrical**

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Chapter Four

When a friend calls to me from the road  
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,  
I don't stand still and look around  
On all the hills I haven't hoed,  
And shout from where I am, 'What is it?'  
No, not as there is a time to talk.  
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,  
Blade-end up and five feet tall,  
And plod: I go up to the stone wall  
For a friendly visit. - by Robert Frost

Thankfully, my visit at the hospital went smoothly enough. I didn't see or speak to Kanou-sensei, but he had given me clearance to visit Ken and had also apparently warned the other doctors away from me. I was hardly spoken to by the nurse who led me to Ken's room, and although I could sense a slight bit of suspicion from the security guards when I passed them, they kept their scrutiny to simply watching. I was grateful for that. It seemed the ruckus I had made from before had been swept under the rug just fine.

I walked into Ken's room quietly and took a seat at the chair next to his hospital bed. Watching him there with an oxygen mask on his face, dressed in a hospital gown and so sickly pale sent a thrum of anger through me. Kanou-sensei had no idea that I knew what he had done, but I decided I was grateful for it anyways—otherwise, my brother would be dead right now. I cursed Rize with all my heart in that moment. I'd kill her if she wasn't already dead.

Slipping my hand over his, I watched him intently. He was breathing well enough, but he looked so delicate and frail that I couldn't help but be reminded just how close he had come to death. Staunch determination filled me and I promised myself I would never let any harm come to him ever again.

"I vow to you, Ken," I whispered. "I'll protect you until my dying breath."

His breath didn't so much as fluctuate and there was no sign that he had heard me, but _I_ had heard me and that was enough. The vow was made and I would honor it with every fiber of my being.

There wasn't much I could do other than sit there and watch him, and since it hadn't been all too clear in the anime how long he was in the hospital, I eventually decided that there were more productive things I could be doing.

Like training.

I stood after a while and left, making a mental note to myself to bring flowers the next time I came. I knew that Hide would not be allowed to visit—in fact, I wouldn't have been if I wasn't so closely connected to Kanou-sensei—and Ken deserved something bright and welcoming to wake up to when he did.

I exited the hospital without hesitation and then began to make my way around the 20th Ward, disguising my search as a walk. I needed a place to train that was well out of sight and not likely to be searched by CCG investigators. I had faith in my ability to train myself, but eventually I knew I'd seek out a training partner—perhaps Touka, perhaps Yomo Renji. Both were skilled fighters, although I couldn't help but remember that Touka had been soundly beaten by her brother, and her brother was likely who I was going to need protection from. The look in his eyes had promised that he would return, and when he came back for me, it would probably be in a place where I wouldn't be able to call for help. Worse yet, depending on how badly Aogiri Tree wanted me, I might be facing more than just two-on-one. It could easily degenerate into a fuck fest of me getting my ass whipped, and that was something I was hoping to avoid.

However, I wasn't quite ready to seek out Anteiku. For some reason, I just felt it wasn't time yet. There was one thing that I was going to have to do anyways, though, and that was to get a mask. If I _was_ caught practicing wherever I decided to train, I would need some kind of protection for my identity.

But I didn't know where Uta worked and without a guide from Anteiku or at least another ghoul, I might not find it for a while. It was definitely supposed to be a hole-in-the-wall; an unnoticeable place. I put my priorities first and searched for a place to train.

Eventually I stumbled across an abandoned warehouse that had once been used to make machine parts. It was a bit of a walk from home, but it was also on the outskirts of the city. I quietly approached the building and opened the rusted double doors, which moved with a loud creak that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Peering inside, I found that there was no lighting whatsoever. However, small windows lined the upper deck of the warehouse and allowed at least some light to pour through. It looked like once upon a time there had been conveyor belts stationed across the large room, but now there was nothing but leftover dents in the ground from where they had stood. All in all, it was bare and desolate, untouched for what was probably years, and it was perfect for what I had in mind.

I closed the door behind me and evaluated just what I needed to do to make it a good training ground. Probably some punching bags to practice on, weights to build muscle, and an obstacle course to build speed and agility. I decided I would start a training regime that would include going for a run before school every day.

Committing the mental list to memory, I wondered if I would have enough money to pay for what I needed. Since I wouldn't have to buy food other than coffee grinds until Ken was recovered, that might allow me to buy most of it, but I was worried about medical bills and hospital expenses. Unless Kanou-sensei was going to take care of that…? The money we would use to pay for that was technically his anyways.

Satisfied with my plan, I closed the door behind me and walked back out into the sunshine. I made a note that it might be a good idea to air out the warehouse at some point—I hadn't noticed how musty it was inside until I left. Before I walked away, I memorized the address so that I could have my training equipment delivered there instead of to my home. The less suspicion I garnered, the better, and also I wouldn't have any way of transporting the gear if it was at my home.

It turned out that the warehouse was only ten minutes away from the subway, so perhaps it wasn't so far off after all. The ride home took another fifteen minutes, but it was certainly faster than walking. Once I was home, I kicked off my shoes and got online to order the things I would need.

The rest of the day passed without a hitch and I headed to bed early, knowing that I would have to return to school the next day. My training gear would arrive in two days and then I would find myself with a lot less free time.

Less free time wasn't going to stop me from visiting Ken every day, though.

The training gear arrived right on time and the next two weeks were spent training vigorously between homework, school, and visiting my brother. I was putting off seeing Amon because I wanted to make sure that if anything went wrong—for example, if I was recognized by anyone—I could defend myself long enough to get away. I never received a hospital bill, so it seemed that Kanou-sensei had taken care of that.

However, at the end of the two weeks, I acknowledged that I needed to see Amon before I became a forgotten memory. So, I went to the flower shop and bought a bouquet of bright, colorful carnations and a thank-you card, on which I wrote a personalized message, just in case Amon wasn't present when I arrived.

As I approached CCG headquarters—it was a Saturday, as I couldn't take off any more time from school—I felt myself grow nervous. Although it was doubtful that I would be recognized by anyone, and humans' sense of smell wasn't nearly strong enough to identify me as a ghoul on that alone, it was still walking into the lion's den. Sweat beaded and I felt it trickle down my back, dampening my shirt. I had dressed for the occasion: an appropriately long black skirt, a ruffled white shirt with a high collar and short, puffy sleeves, and black heels that were still comfortable enough to fight in—and if they proved to be a nuisance, they were easily tossed off. I had even styled my hair and put on makeup.

I paused in front of the building and took a deep breath to steady myself. It would seem off if someone coming in to give thanks was so absurdly nervous, I decided. Therefore, I focused on my breathing for a few long moments before giving a final huff and walking inside.

It was cool inside, a blast of air conditioning assaulting me after I entered past the automatic sliding double doors. I shivered involuntarily, surprised at how frigid they kept their work environment. Then again, I supposed it might help the investigators stay alert and focused.

After entering the lobby, I approached the front desk. A stern looking female receptionist looked at me appraisingly. Her eyes drifted to the flowers nestled in the crook of my left elbow and she immediately looked disapproving. "Can I help you?" she asked, sounding demanding and exasperated.

I wasn't fazed in the least. "I'd like to speak to Amon Koutarou, please," I replied, not letting her attitude get to me.

"May I ask what this is regarding?" There was still that sharp edge to her voice that I did not appreciate.

"He saved my life the other day," I said, downplaying the timeframe. "I just wanted to express my gratitude properly."

The receptionist seemed to suddenly soften at that. "Your name, please?"

"Kaneki Aiko." I hoped Amon remembered me.

She nodded in acknowledgement before picking up the phone on her desk and dialing an extension. I waited patiently as she spoke into it, apparently to Amon. After a few nods, she affirmed something and then hung up.

"He's in his office and he's willing to see you," the receptionist told me. "Two floors up, take a left and go all the way down the hall. He's in the office on your right."

"Thank you," I said gratefully, and then made my way towards the elevators.

It was a short trip to Amon's office, but I had to steady my breathing yet again as I approached the office that I was supposed to go into. I hoped that it was Amon's office, not a shared office for him and Mado. _That_ would certainly put a damper on my plans.

I swallowed the lump in my throat with some difficulty before tentatively rapping my knuckles on the door. There was a short pause before I heard Amon's deep voice call, "Come in." With one last calming breath, I turned the knob and stepping into the office.

Amon turned to me with a smile and then it seemed to freeze on his face. I was startled, immediately looking down at myself and wondering what it was that had surprised him like that.

I didn't find anything, so I looked up at him questioningly.

He cleared his throat and said, "Sorry. I was expecting you, but you look…different." Was that a slight blush on his cheeks?

Oh. I supposed I did look a bit different from the rumpled, terrified girl I had been when he saved me.

I laughed. "Well, I came to show my appreciation for what you did for me, so I suppose I wanted to look the part." I scowled playfully. "I clean up nicely."

The red on his cheeks slightly amplified. "Yes, you do." He cleared his throat again and seemed to come back to his normal serious demeanor. "Take a seat; I have a few minutes before my partner and I are heading back to the 20th Ward."

I nodded and was glad that although my hackles raised at the mention of Mado, it was not noticed by Amon. I knew he really respected his partner and the best way to get on his bad side was to trash-talk Mado. I took a seat gingerly and laid the flowers and thank-you card on his desk.

"You really didn't have to do this, you know," Amon said, moving the flowers to the side, although they were no less visible. "It's my job to protect civilians."

I shrugged. "Yes, well, I was taught to always show my appreciation when appropriate, and I can't think of a more appropriate time to thank someone when they've saved my life." _Although not in the way you think you did._

Before I could really start singing his praises—what better way to ingratiate oneself with someone than to flatter them?—Amon asked, "How's your brother doing?"

This stopped me cold and I froze. Then, I focused on the wall behind him, frowning. "Ken's going to be okay, or so the doctors say," I replied. "But what that ghoul did to him…I'd kill her if she wasn't already dead."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

I sighed. "You've probably already heard about it, actually. The binge eater in the 20th Ward attacked my brother. I was there and she almost got me, but Ken sacrificed himself to save my life, and so he almost died himself."

Amon's eyes hardened and he nodded curtly. "Yes. Her name was Kamishiro Rize. She was responsible for dozens of deaths before she died…you say you were there? How did you get away without being injured? You should be in the hospital with your brother right now."

I became nervous at the suspicious tone in his voice, but played it off nonchalantly. "Like I said, Ken sacrificed himself to save my life. There was a lot of blood on me when the paramedics arrived, but it wasn't mine. I still can't believe he survived after how much blood he lost."

Amon nodded. "You seem to get into a lot of trouble with ghouls," he said thoughtfully, and appeared to muse on something, his eyes drifting to the ceiling. After a moment of bated breath on my part, he turned back to me and made eye contact. "You're a very lucky young lady."

"Well, as they say, third time's the charm. I doubt I'm going to be so lucky in the future." This was a blatant lie, as I'd been training to prevent such a thing from happening again, but as I said it, I wondered if there wasn't some truth to it.

"You would do well to stay in urban, crowded areas when you do have to leave your home," Amon suggested. "Avoid alleyways and dark, secluded places. Most ghouls don't attack openly public areas, so you'll be much safer that way."

 _You obviously don't know the same ghouls I do,_ I thought. Outwardly, though, I nodded. "That's what I've been doing, actually. It's probably why you haven't had to come to my rescue again, or found my name in the obituaries."

I was teasing, but Amon obviously didn't find it very funny. Then, suddenly, he picked up the stack of post-it notes near his computer and started writing something down. I leaned forward to peek, curious, but he was handing me the note before I could get a glimpse.

When I saw what it was, I had to refrain from jumping up and down in a victory dance.

However, I decided to joke around with him and play stupid. "What's this? Your credit card number? I appreciate it, Amon-san-"

He sighed wearily at my antics. "It's my number. Call if you ever need anything or think you're in danger; it's not often that investigators can actually save lives. Usually, we catch the ghouls in the process of eating and the victim is already dead. I have to say, you're one of the few people I've been able to save before they're mortally wounded." He gestured at the flowers vaguely. "And, you're the only one who has ever gone to so many lengths to show your gratitude. Sometimes I wonder if civilians aren't as afraid of investigators as they are of ghouls."

Taking into account the serious nature of our topic, I immediately stopped being playful and sobered myself. "Thank you. I was really lucky you and Ma-your partner were in the area." I couldn't remember if I had been formally introduced to Mado, so I didn't want to accidentally let slip something that I wasn't supposed to know. "As far as who the civilians are more afraid of…I think they're just tired of this conflict. It's a stalemate, really, and stressful for everyone. Ghouls are hunted, living in fear and having to disguise themselves as humans to protect themselves; civilians have to worry about staying out late at night and wondering if they'll be somebody's next meal; investigators have to deal with dangers every day and never know whether they're going to come out of a fight alive. It's just all around a bad situation."

Amon sighed. "It'll be better once the ghouls are culled. Then no one will have to live in fear anymore."

I smiled wryly. "Except for the people who humans decide they don't like."

He looked at me questioningly.

"There are always going to be enemies of the human race. Or," I added thoughtfully, "enemies of a specific country. It's human nature to fight for supremacy, to be at the top of the food chain. If it's not the ghouls, it'll be something—or _someone_ —else. There will always be a war to fight. The only thing that changes is who the enemy is."

Amon watched me for a moment, then asked, "How old are you, Kaneki-san?"

"Sixteen," I replied with a smile.

He looked surprised, but didn't otherwise show any emotion. "You're very intelligent for your age. I wouldn't have expected it."

I shrugged. "I think a lot of people age faster in this world. I happen to feel a lot older than my years most of the time." If only he knew.

Amon smiled a small smile and then his eyes found the clock. "Damn. I'm sorry to cut this short, Kaneki-san-"

"Please, just Aiko."

He grinned at this. "Aiko-san, but I have to meet with my partner in fifteen minutes. If you wait a moment, I'll walk to you to the front?"

"Sounds good," I replied. I stood and stepped out of the way so he could gather his things, one of which I noticed was a big silver case. So he was going on another ghoul hunt. I wasn't surprised in the least—he was probably looking for Jason.

I hadn't made as much progress on converting Amon to the light as I would have liked, but I supposed that for him to really take me seriously, we would have to have some kind of rapport going before I could really get him to see things my way. He was intelligent and good to talk to, anyways, and I didn't have any friends outside of Ken, so it wasn't like I was protesting. Amon was a good person to have on one's side.

Within moments, Amon had gathered his things and opened the door so that I could walk out. The fact that he was a gentleman was kind of nice, too, I decided. We walked down to the elevator in comfortable silence, and then after that we stopped at the front desk. I fingered the post-it note with his number in my pocket absently.

"I'll see you around, Aiko-san," he said. "Stay safe, and call if you need anything."

"Thank you, Amon-san," I said with a small bow.

"Just Koutarou," he replied, and then he waved goodbye.

I walked to the subway with a slight bounce in my step.


	5. Elm

_So..._

 _ **Trigger Warning!** This chapter gets pretty disturbing pretty quickly. If you have issues with stalking, rape, and/or murder, please tread with caution or do not read. It's only a mention and certainly not descriptive, but I think it's pretty creepy personally. I'm not going to spoil it, but there'll be some commentary at the end for those of you who have questions. If this wasn't already the Tokyo Ghoul-verse, I still think I'd have this chapter warrant the M-rating. It was disturbing to me and I was the one who wrote it..._

 ** _Important:_** _After this chapter, there will be a short hiatus while I go catch up on Tokyo Ghoul. Real life got in the way and I haven't been able to keep up. I think I got halfway through the second season of the anime (I could never figure it out - are they considered two separate shows or are they divided by seasons or is it like Naruto and Naruto Shippuden? I'm watching the anime) before I started writing this fic, and then stuff happened. The hiatus shouldn't be more than a month, honestly - I just have some medical issues and vacation and blah blah blah, you know all that summer crap._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Asymmetrical**

* * *

Chapter Five

I am terrified by this dark thing

That sleeps in me;

All day I feel its soft, feathery turnings, its malignity.

-from "Elm" by Sylvia Plath

The next day at school was the usual humdrum of learning and being alone. I was starting to feel the loss of Ken more acutely now. While I now felt safe that I had a friend in Koutarou, he was an adult in a way that I was not—I was one in spirit, but in body I was four years away from being legal. He had a job and a life and who knew, maybe he had a girlfriend that the anime had never bothered to include? I knew more about him than was warranted given our short history, but as far as _really_ knowing him, we were still strangers. Ken was my closest companion and my beloved brother, and was it so weird that I missed him?

Almost three weeks had passed since Rize's attack. After the near-kidnapping by Ayato and meeting Koutarou and Mado, I had dedicated so much of my time to training that it was fair to say that I had inadvertently battled away any negative feelings pertaining to Ken's situation. However, even though I was training just as hard as before, I was really starting to miss him.

I was alone without him; I had no friends in school due to the fact that I had never attempted to make any. I knew that I was different than them, and not just because I was a half-ghoul. I was far beyond their years mentally and my concerns were not with what the cutest boy in school was doing or what the newest fashion magazines were saying was 'in.' There had been a time for that in my old life, but now, I was too busy working on finding a way to keep myself alive and Ken out of danger to be bothering with such trivialities.

From my seat by the window, I tuned out Mataka-sensei's droning on the English language and stared out the glass pane to the world outside. It was a cloudy day and had been raining on and off since my run before school that morning. Currently, the ground was wet and there were droplets on the window, but the rain was not actually falling. The school courtyard looked drearier than usual and I frowned at it. I hoped it stay this way and not start raining once school got out. I didn't want to walk home in the rain, especially since the weather was dulling my sense of smell and would leave me vulnerable to dangers that I didn't want to deal with.

I turned back to class when I heard Mataka-sensei's tone of voice lift up a tic at the end of her sentence, meaning she had asked a question. I watched her lazily, my eyes drifting to the classmate she called on when he began to answer. I was hardly absorbing a word they said—this was all old news to me. I was no less fluent in English now than I had been when I was first born into this world.

Then, just as I was about to pay attention in English class for the first time in this life, I felt my phone vibrate in the pocket of my school blazer. It was the second-lowest vibration setting and completely obscured by my hand covering it, so the vibration went unheard by my teacher and schoolmates alike. However, the fact that it was going off was alarming; the only people who had my number and currently in the land of the living were Koutarou and Kanou-sensei, and Koutarou had no reason to contact me and I had never heard from Kanou-sensei outside from email before—he would call if it concerned Ken, certainly, and I had never imagined that he would text me casually in the first place, especially since he would know I was in school.

A small, optimistic part of me said that maybe Koutarou just wanted to chat, but that hardly made any sense.

I covertly slipped it out and under the desk, where I could read the message unseen. When I opened the screen and saw that it was from a number not identified by my phone, I was not surprised. Pretty much anybody who texted me would be an unknown number. Opening the text message, I saw a few short words.

From: 080-3424-8776

To: Kaneki Aiko

Message Body: Come to courtyard

The wording was a little off, but the implication of the message was enough. I knew I certainly wasn't going to do anything without knowing what was going on—I had already learned that lesson. It wasn't one of my classmates because even if one of them had somehow acquired my phone number without my permission, it wasn't them—all of them were present. I double-checked by glancing around the room and was assured that I was correct in this.

However, morbid curiosity wouldn't allow me to just leave well enough alone, so I texted back.

From: Kaneki Aiko

To: 080-3424-8776

Message Body: Who is this?

I looked up for a moment to pretend I was paying attention in case Mataka-sensei looked my way, but the vibration of a reply message had me looking back down again quickly.

From: 080-3424-8776

To: Kaneki Aiko

Message Body: Look outside

This time, a tendril of fear whispered down my back like a long-forgotten memory. Still, I turned my head towards the courtyard again, expecting this to be some kind of a prank. Hopefully, not some kind of cosmic prank that ended up with me dying the same way I had last time.

My eyes widened as a figure walked through the courtyard, stopped in the center, and then stared up at my window, making eye contact. As if proof it had been him, he dangled a cellphone from his hand—stolen, no doubt.

Out of all the dangers I didn't want to deal with, Kirishima Ayato was probably at the top of the list, but there was still a bit of relief. I knew Ayato wasn't going to bring about my death the way it had happened the first time. He would probably be able to make it a hell of a lot more painful, but that wasn't so worrisome to me.

Ayato pointed at me, pointed at the ground by his feet, and then mouthed, _'Now.'_

I felt my throat constrict slightly at the sudden adrenaline rush that filled me, but otherwise stayed composed. I wasn't sure that I could take him on and there was no way to know if there were more ghouls waiting for me other than Ayato down there. It was pretty ballsy to go after a ghoul at a school, and for a moment I questioned their intelligence.

And then it clicked.

If I resisted him, if I fought back with my kagune, I would be exposing myself as a ghoul to a world that wanted me dead. I would be expelled. I would lose any chance to convert Koutarou and I would have to be on the run. I…wouldn't be able to see Ken anymore, not as long as he was in the hospital. I would be recognized for what I was if I fought back as a ghoul.

I doubted that I could resist very well acting as a mere human. I had strength and senses that most humans didn't have, but I knew that Ayato was stronger than me. For someone his age, it was commendable, but I also knew that I had another disadvantage—I was a female and therefore typically not as strong as a male. And, to my great annoyance, I was a short, petite female at that.

I didn't have a mask to hide myself, and while Ayato didn't have a mask either, I knew he wasn't so concerned about keeping up appearances. This was a fucked situation.

In the hopes of deterring him, I narrowed my eyes, shook my head, and gave him the finger.

He didn't react outwardly to my antagonistic response, but he did take a picture out from his pocket and hold it up so I could see it. I froze when I recognized it.

It was a picture of myself and Ken on my second-eleventh birthday. I couldn't make out the details from this distance, but I knew it by heart: I was wearing a red kimono that Ken had saved up all his allowance money to buy me and he was holding me on his lap while I snapped the photo with our camera in a parody of a selfie. The only reason I knew it was that specific picture was because I could recognize the red of the kimono easily—it had been a unique shade that I had never seen before this life. I had loved that kimono, and still had it in my closet despite the fact that it didn't fit anymore.

But even more alarming was that if he had that picture—the only copy in existence—then he had been to my apartment, and that meant he knew where I lived. A pit formed in my stomach and the experience of déjà vu was strong. Ayato was going straight down the list, it seemed: gathering information illegally, attempted kidnapping, breaking and entering…

I felt bile creeping up the back of my throat and I swallowed heavily. Instead, I tried to mutate my fear into anger and thankfully, because of my new lease on life, it was possible. I grit my teeth and fumed at him, before gasping when I saw him rip it down the middle slowly. I couldn't hear the tearing sound, but I could feel it in my heart. That was one of my most treasured photos in this life.

Another checkmark on the list: threatening the lives of loved ones…

"Kaneki-san, is there a problem?" Mataka-sensei asked me.

I jerked my head back to class and took a deep breath. "No, sir," I replied. From the corner of my eye, I saw the two halves of the picture drift to the ground. Now Ayato's face was hardened and cold instead of just neutral. He pointed at the ground again jerkily.

I clenched my fists. They were threatening Ken, and that was a very good way to get on my bad side and not at all conducive to making me want to cooperate with them. _For now, the best thing to do is focus on him. On Ken. Keep Ken safe. To keep Ken safe, I have to be free. I can't be a prisoner and keep Ken safe at the same time._

It occurred to me then that I really didn't know what I was to Aogiri Tree or why they wanted me badly enough to go to all this trouble. It…didn't really make much sense. Sure, maybe I had an advantage because I was a hybrid, but didn't they already have Eto? Or maybe Eto was _why_ they wanted another hybrid?

 _Focus on this. Focus on staying free, keeping Ken safe. Focus on anything else._

Either way, it looked like I was in a dire situation. Thinking quickly, I raised my hand and when Mataka-sensei called on me, I requested to use the restroom. It was frowned upon if one couldn't wait until breaks to use the facilities, but at the moment I didn't particularly care if I had to walk out _without_ permission. All I knew was that shit was about to go down and I really wanted to be as far away as possible when that happened.

Mataka-sensei looked briefly annoyed before granting my request and I exited the classroom as fast as I could, school blazer on and phone clenched tightly in my first. As soon as I was in the hallway, I dialed Koutarou's number and ducked into the nearest storage closet.

It rang three times before he picked up. "Is everything alright, Aiko-san?"

Thank god for Koutarou's lack of formalities. As could be expected, he wasn't looking for idle chatter—he had given me his number because he wanted to keep me safe, not because we were going to become best buddies. I had been grateful at the time, but that was nothing compared to how grateful I was now that he had given me his direct phone line.

"Those ghouls that attacked me the other day—they're back," I hissed into the phone, mindful of not letting anyone know that I was breaking a plethora of school rules right then. If I was breathing a little too heavily, I wasn't paying attention. "Or at least, Aya-the one with the dark hair. He texted me—I don't know how he got my number—and he's broken into my apartment because he had a picture of me and my brother, and he ripped it, and my brother's still in the hospital and completely vulnerable, and-"

"Aiko-san, calm down." Koutarou's sharp tone cut through my panic like a hot knife through butter. "What school do you go to?"

I rattled off the name of my school. "He's going to be expecting me any moment now," I told him.

I could hear muffled voices, one of which was clearly Koutarou's and the other was most likely Mado, although I couldn't discern enough to find out. After a short conversation, Koutarou said, "Where are you right now?"

"Storage closet on the second floor," I answered. Suddenly, my phone buzzed and I knew it was another text from Ayato. I didn't bother to look at it; it wouldn't be pretty or nice, and my attention was better spent on getting my ass saved. Again. _For the third time_.

Ken had sacrificed himself for me with Rize—one. I had been rescued by Koutarou and Mado from Ayato and Torino—two. And now, hopefully Koutarou and Mado were going to save me from Ayato again—three.

I didn't realize I was going to be so pathetic in this life, honestly. I hadn't wanted trouble, but I also never thought that I would be consistently being the damsel in distress, either. That didn't set well with me at all.

"Just stay where you are, Aiko-"

In a flashback to a world that might as well not exist anymore, I saw young woman lying on the pavement. Her eyes were blank with shock and wide open; a yellow sundress and shredded purple panties were discarded a few yards away and were untouched by the ghastly halo of blood surrounding her. A butcher knife was buried hilt-deep in her abdomen.

"-we're on our way-"

I retched at the imagery, knowing exactly who that young woman was.

"…Aiko-san? Are you alright?"

No, being a damsel in distress did not sit well with me at all.

"I-I'm fine," I stammered, still sick with nausea at the vision-like memory. "I…I'll wait here."

Koutarou didn't spend any time on niceties or even a 'Stay safe' kind of commentary. He simply hung up, apparently willing to take time out of his day to fend off Ayato.

I read the text message Ayato had sent just in case it had any information Koutarou might find useful— _focus, focus_ —but instead, I only found a threat.

After reading, I stared at my phone for a few moments, and then I began to cry like I had when _that man_ had finally cornered me. It wasn't crying because of sadness or heartbreak; it was crying like a child who didn't know how to do anything but cry, when you were helpless and terrified and there was nothing _to do_ except cry. It was crying so hard you vomited, and I did, all over the front of my shirt. Reading the text message had been like opening one of the unmarked envelopes discovered in my mailbox after I first changed residences.

From: 080-3424-8776

To: Kaneki Aiko

Message: Don't bother running. I know where you live.

 _You can run all you like, but I'll always find you,_ the letter had read, written in rabbit's blood and painted onto the cardstock by a finger.

And he had, just like he promised countless times. He did everything he said he would do in those letters. He told me he loved me, just like he had written so many times before.

" _I love you. I'm the only one who can love you. I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU GOD DAMMIT! Stop fucking crying! Stop crying, shh, there there, it'll be alright. FUCKING STOP, YOU LITTLE BITCH, I TOLD YOU TO STOP CRYING! Fuck! I-I'm sorry, love, but I can't let anyone else have you…_

" _I love you, forever and always. We'll always be together."_

They were last words I had heard, and then I died, only to wake up in the world of Tokyo Ghoul.

* * *

 _So yes, for anyone who needs clarification: the OC was raped and murdered at the hands of her stalker in the 'real' world. I do not have personal experience with any of these things, but I will try to write it realistically as best as possible. I AM familiar with PTSD, however._

 _Most questions will be answered in upcoming chapters, so I'm just going to list off what will definitely be addressed: yes, there will be more detail in the future; yes, there is a reason why Aiko has been able to act normal so far in the story and it will be explained eventually, and yes, if you look back in past chapters, there have been subtle hints along the way for this; no, her stalker will not have any other effect on the fic; yes, this plays a big part in the story, and no, obviously I'm not going to give spoilers and tell you how! :P_

 _Anyways, please review and I'll see you all in a month or two! (Hopefully sooner!)_


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